Title: China Girl
Chapter 5 – Hell Hath No Fury…

Sheldon heard the bullet but because of the darkness was unable to see where Ruth was shooting from until it was too late. She felt the bullet slam into her side, let out a cry and fell to her knees, her gun falling from her hands into the darkness. The bullet wasn’t meant to kill only take her down a notch.

"Knew you couldn’t fight me on equal footing!" Sheldon called out in anger. "Now turn on the lights and come and face me with a little backbone!" She frantically felt around for her gun and her fingers just grasped it as the lights were brought on and she was finally able to see her terrain.

"Welcome," Ruth taunted from atop a flight of metal stairs, her gun hanging loosely at her side. "Since we both know I hold captive what you desire, drop your gun and come up here," Ruth instructed.

"I will when I know you have Caleb and he's safe," Sheldon replied firmly.

"Nice look for you. Black and bruises," Ruth mocked.

"You would know since it was your doing," Sheldon retorted.

"Oh and here I thought you were stupid."

"Sorry you filled that role a while back," Sheldon snapped.

Ruth just glared at her in anger. "He'll never love you the way he loved me. He even admitted it tonight," Ruth professed in a proud lie.

"Do you even know what truth means?" Sheldon asked taking another step towards the metal staircase, her gun still trained. "Now where the hell is Caleb?" She asked firmly.

"He's waiting…for me…" Ruth smiled as she noticed Sheldon wince. "Want a bandage for that cut?"

Sheldon inwardly cursed herself for showing her pain to her new nemesis but with each step was reminded of the seeping wound at her side and hiding the pain was difficult at best. But she didn't answer, only kept her eyes locked with Ruth's and took another step.

"I said drop your gun? Do you really want to die that fast?"

"Oh you won't kill me," Sheldon stated as she reached the bottom of the stairs. "You want to fight me in front of Caleb so that you think you'll be able to say you're a stronger fighter. Well I have news for you sister, you won't ever beat me."

"We'll see," Ruth spat as Sheldon started to climb the stairs. Ruth took a few steps back so that Caleb, in his captive state, could come into Sheldon's immediate view and distract her at least temporarily. It worked. For when Sheldon reached the top of the stairs, her heart missed a beat at seeing Caleb in such a condition.

"Caleb…" she whispered sadly only to have Ruth hit her from behind with two fists. Sheldon cried out as she started to fall forwards onto the metal landing. The gun flew from her hands as she hit the bottom with her hands but managed to keep herself from falling completely flat. Ruth kicked her in her wound, causing Sheldon to roll onto her side, grabbing it protectively.

Caleb winced in pain and cried out into his gag as Sheldon sustained the hit to her side. He hoped she had called for backup, but something inside told him she hadn't; and that thought worried him very much.

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Sheldon flung her leg back, catching Ruth on her foot and taking out her firm stance. As Ruth started to falter, Sheldon rotated onto her back and brought both feet up and kicked Ruth in the gut, sending her flying backwards.

Sheldon painfully pushed herself up and twisted around to Caleb. She took one step but Ruth jumped her from behind and both slammed back to the floor in a jumble of arms and legs. Sheldon's jaw and upper body collided with the metal and Sheldon groaned with the new pain her body was sustaining.

"You can't…win…" Sheldon gasped as she tried to elbow Ruth off of her.

"I already have. My deal is going through, my army faction will take out the new recruits and my partner is going to get away with the dough. It's you my dear…" Ruth rambled on as Sheldon landed another blow to her hip to try to get her off.

"Actually your deal fell through…" Sheldon stammered as she twisted herself around and finally gained the upper hand. She kneed Ruth in the stomach and then pushed herself backwards. Sheldon landed on her butt; but while still clutching her bleeding side grabbed a side rail and pulled herself up. She kicked Ruth in the gut once more with her high heel, sending Ruth staggering to her side. While Ruth tried once again in vain to get to her feet Sheldon grabbed a handful of hair and landed a punch in her jaw, spilling Ruth's lip wide open.

"Almost even," Sheldon huffed as she hit Ruth once more. Ruth's head snapped back in pain and her body followed in a heap against the rails. "Your deal is dead, your army stopped and your partner in the custody of the US government. Anything else you'd care to add?" Sheldon mocked as she kicked her once more.

Sheldon ran for Caleb and managed to slip him a small pocket knife before yanking the tape from his mouth and whispering, "I love you."

Ruth pushed herself up and rushed for Sheldon.

"Behind you…" Caleb managed as Sheldon had to stop from trying to untie him and deal with Ruth. But Ruth grabbed Sheldon's long dark hair that had half come down and yanked her backwards.

Sheldon tried to pull herself back but lost the battle and was dragged towards the metal stairs.

Ruth tried to twist Sheldon around to fling her down the stairs but it backfired and Sheldon managed to turn herself around in time only to be half flung down the stairs with Ruth right beside her.

"NO!" Caleb shouted in horror as Sheldon disappeared from his view; taken painfully down the stairs.

Sheldon's body hit each stair with a resounding thud and by the fifth one, she was grasping for the metal railing to stop herself from hitting the bottom. She reached out an arm and grabbed. Her body stopped with a jerk, sending Ruth to the edge and almost over. Sheldon kicked Ruth in the side, pushing her even further over the edge. Ruth grabbed Sheldon's knee and yanked.

Sheldon lost her grip on the railing and let out a cry before falling after Ruth and over the edge. Ruth hung onto Sheldon's legs while Sheldon tried to hold onto the metal stairs. Her hands were bloody and sweaty from her wound and exertion and she soon found herself slipping closer and closer to the edge.

"If you fall we both die…" Ruth gasped in a panic.

Caleb heard Ruth's words and pulled frantically at his slowly loosening bonds.

"I…know…" Sheldon gasped as she tried in vain to grasp at anything to keep her from falling to the hard concrete floor. She found one last surge of strength and for a split second let go of the stair and grabbed the hand railing above. She felt her wound open even more and cried out in agony.

"Sheldon!" Caleb called out from the room he was still bound in. He could feel the ropes loosening but not enough to free himself and save Sheldon.

"Caleb will always…" Ruth started.

Sheldon's head filled with one final surge of hateful adrenaline and she pulled one foot up and landed a hard blow to Ruth's already bleeding mouth. Ruth's head snapped back in pain, her eyes filled with water and the last words she heard as she fell to the ground were…

"Caleb loves me…" Sheldon whispered hoarsely as she watched Ruth fall to the ground and then lay silent. Her body landing in such a way as not to kill her.

Caleb heard the scream but was unable to know which of the ladies had fallen to their demise. "Sheldon!" Caleb called out.

Sheldon hung onto the railing, her head still pounding with her loudly beating heart and the pain from her gunshot wound to the side. She let out a gasp but due to lack of strength was unable to utter a word. Finally, after what seemed like a slow painful eternity she managed to pull herself back through the railing and onto the metal stairs. She lay there for a few seconds, but Caleb's voice keep pulling her back to consciousness and to reality. She flipped herself to her knees and pushed herself to her feet; grabbing the railing for support and to keep her from going over the edge.

Caleb heard footsteps slowly coming up the stairs and immediately rushed to worse case scenario. "Oh god…" he whispered as he struggled to free himself of his bonds.

"I'm…coming…" Sheldon whispered in a hoarse tone.

Caleb couldn't recognize the raspy voice and worked to loose himself.

Sheldon took another step and finally her eyes neared the top of the landing and she pushed herself even harder.

"Sheldon…" Caleb breathed as he watched her appear and then slowly walk towards him. "Did you enjoy that?" He asked with a slightly amused smile.

"Like you don’t know," Sheldon offered a weak smile in return as she neared him. "But I'll have to tell you later…" she wheezed as she clutched her bleeding side and almost crumpled to the floor beside him.

"Get me loose," Caleb remarked in a panic, noting her condition. "Are you…"

"Okay…" she tried as she ripped a piece from her already torn dress and tied it tightly around her waist, crudely sealing the wound until the medics arrived.

"Never better…" she said trying in vain to free him with her bloody fingers. "Just…need to…rest…" she managed as she finally freed his arms and slumped painfully into his lap. Caleb tried to kick aside the ropes from his feet but when Sheldon landed on him, it slightly delayed his plans. He held onto her and looked down into her slightly watery eyes.

"I almost lost you," he whispered weakly.

"Never," Sheldon whispered back firmly. "You'll not get away that easily," she smiled as she finally felt fatigue taking over her weakened body. "Tired…will you hold…me a bit longer?" She managed.

"I'm never letting go," he whispered as he softly kissed her lips. "Did you call for backup?"

"Yes," she replied. "I guess I can change. Too bad you got free…I wanted to have some fun," she teased as she fought to keep her eyes open a bit longer.

"Well I like the dress," Caleb teased back. "Want to lose the rest of it for me later?"

"Ask the EMS people…I think they'll give me a blue gown in return," she whispered as she blinked her eyes open again.

"Rest my love," Caleb said softly. "You are safe now. Just rest. I love you Sheldon. Will you marry me?" He lightly laughed.

"Yes," Sheldon replied firmly. "I will marry you Caleb."

Sheldon felt Caleb's embrace wrap around her more tightly as she closed her eyes and started to lightly sleep until the medics arrived. Caleb looked down at his sleeping beauty and let out a sigh followed by a frown. "I hope everyone else did as well as us," he said leaning back his head, listening to the distant sirens approaching."

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"Okay guys we need to catch this deal in action," Nickel said to his S.W.A.T. team as they waited near the small store where the Mao deal was going down. "No one breathes until the briefcases have been changed. Good work Tom, thanks to you everything will be handled expertly and one more bad guy off the scene."

"Sir, do you think Sheldon and Caleb are okay?" Tom asked in concern.

"Oh I'm sure they'll prevail," Nickel smiled. "Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned."

"Which one?" Tom wondered in audible silence.

"Here we go," Nickel said quietly into his two-way.

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"I want this guy and I want him alive!" Milton said to his team. "Esmond Tahari is not to be killed or seriously wounded beyond the point of repair," Milton directed. "Anyone to take him out will be fired! I'm that serious."

The carefully hidden FBI team watched from the shadows as Esmond Tahari's dark limo pulled into the Western shadows of Pier 56 and stopped. The deal was about to go down.

"Here we go," Milton told his team. "Oh my mark…"

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"Fancy meeting you here," Cecil said to Paul as they waited inside an empty barracks room at the military training base in Washington.

"Oh just like old times," Paul Landry smiled.

"I really don’t understand why you wanted to be here sir," Cecil remarked with a frown. "I am more than capable of handling something like this."

"Well you are the Director of the NSA…why are you here?" Paul asked directly.

"Well to be honest I just needed to get out of the office," Cecil sighed.

"Same here, the Oval office," Paul remarked. "So since we both needed a break, let's go and kick some butt shall we?"

"Yes, lets," Cecil replied as they got ready to move.

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Caleb finally let go of Sheldon as the medics carefully lowered her onto a stretcher and worked at making a bandage patch for her wound until she could get to the hospital for stitches. Thankfully the bullet went right through so surgery would not be required. Caleb held her hand the entire way down the stairs and then into the ambulance. He watched the other medic team heading into the building for Ruth he assumed and wondered what kind of jail term she would face and how her life now would change? If she had little means for revenge before she sure had firepower now. That thought worried him until he felt Sheldon gently squeeze his hand; immediately bring his gaze back down to her.

"Hey," Caleb remarked with a smile. "Welcome back."

"Oh I had to catch up on my beauty sleep," she replied in a sleepy tone. "Did it work?"

"You don't need it," Caleb reassured her. "But you should just rest. I'm right beside you all the way. I'm not leaving your side."

Sheldon smiled with his words and then closed her eyes to rest. When she did open them next she was in the ER being fixed up; Caleb beside her as he promised and then again in her hospital room.

"I want to go home," she uttered softly, waking Caleb from his somber stupor. "I want to be away from here."

"Do you feel strong enough to walk? You took quite a beating today," Caleb remarked as he leaned in close and took her hand in his.

"I don't want to be afraid anymore," she told him in a soft tone, her eyes slightly welling.

"Afraid of what?" Caleb asked with a slight frown.

"Change…my life with you…the future as a couple," she rattled out in haste. "I am tried of fighting with myself inside over every decision I have to make about us and whether it's right or if I am giving up control of my life."

"You make everything so hard for yourself," Caleb replied with an easy smile. "Am I making things hard for you?"

"No," Sheldon rushed. "It's not you at all. It's me…I know that sounds like a lame line but its true," she insisted. "I love you and want to be with you for the rest of my life."

"Sheldon I don’t want you to give up any part of you. I love you for who you are. Forget the crap that Ruth said if that's what's making you unsure about anything. I fell in love with a strong, independent woman and if I didn't want that I wouldn't be here right now…I wouldn't have asked you to be my wife. But as you know being together does mean changes – for both of us. Remember I have to give up things too," he finished.

"Like what?" Sheldon challenged with a slight smile.

"Like my um…bathroom space," he teased.

"It's no big deal for you is it?" Sheldon questioned. "Why?"

"Because I have no doubts about you taking away anything from my life. With women I can understand it being a bit different because you always feel you are giving up more. But really in your case you are adding more."

"How do you mean?" Sheldon asked.

"Well you already make all my decisions for me…" he teased with a smile, receiving a playful slap. "Trust me you have nothing to worry about. You know that don’t you?"

"Yes," she assured him. "I just…you know what? No more thinking tonight," she said with a smile. "I just want to think about you and how blessed I am that you are in my life. Now take me home."

"Yes ma'am," Caleb replied eagerly as he helped her stand up. She faltered slightly but with his arms gently but holding her so she wouldn't fall she was able to get her balance and put on her coat to head home.

"Are you sure you just don’t want to rest here?" Caleb asked in concern as he noticed her wince.

"I look worse than I feel I think," she frowned. "Yes I want to go home. I would like a hot bath and some good sleep."

"Oh I think I can accommodate that," he whispered. "Anything else I can accommodate for you?"

Sheldon smiled at his husky comment but then sighed. "Not tonight dear I have a headache…oh that is so bad!"

"Yep," Caleb agreed with a laugh. "We sound like we have been married forever."

"And that was bad," Sheldon laughed back.

The two of them headed past the ER, where they assumed Ruth was being treated and then into a waiting cab. Sheldon's truck having been taken back to the office for her to pick up when she got there.

"What will happen to her now?" Sheldon wondered out loud.

"I think Ruth really needs help," Caleb sighed. "Maybe in jail she can find some, but I highly doubt it. Most people come out worse."

"There's a thought," Sheldon frowned as they headed outside into the cool night air.

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"Well we got all of the baddies but one," Milton said to Nickel as he and Cecil joined him a few hours later.

"Who got away?"

"Ruth Chang," Milton told them.

"Oh I'm sure that will comfort Sheldon," Nickel shot back. "How the hell did that happen? I thought Sheldon said she fell to her near death."

"I guess she wasn't there alone. Sheldon said the two thugs were told by Ruth to leave…or so Ruth told her. But I am guessing not," Milton sighed. "Where do we start looking?"

"China," Nickel told them. "And it won't be easy."

"I doubt we'll find her for a while," Cecil chimed in.

"And somehow I am guessing the next reunion won't be a happy one – for any of us."

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Sheldon lay in the hot water, resting her battered body on Caleb's strong one. "Now this is just wonderful," she told him in a sleepy tone.

"Well I think you earned a bit of rest," he murmured in her ear, lightly running his finger over her stitches in the warm soapy water.

"I think breakfast in bed as well," she smiled.

"Oh now you are pushing it," Caleb remarked as he lightly poked her in the ribs.

After the water started to get a little cool it was time to get out. Sheldon gently dried off and then nestled back into Caleb's strong arms as he carried to bed and slowly lowered her to the soft sheets, gently lying down beside her.

"I heard you called me the H word tonight," Caleb whispered into her ear.

"I did," Sheldon smiled in reply. "I liked the sound of it."

"I liked it when I was told," Caleb remarked. "I also like the sound of my wife here with me."

"Well get used to that mister," she teased twisting around to see him face to face. "Because I am not going anywhere."

"I thought you were going to sleep?" He asked with a slight frown as he started to feel her body temperature rising.

"Sleep? The night is still young and I feel…well I feel a little sore but oh well…" she whispered leaning in for a kiss. "Want to help me forget my pain?"

"Oh yeah!"

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"You are hurt bad," the male voice said in a low tone.

"Just fix it. I need to get back to China," Ruth Chang snapped. "This is over for now…but I will be back!"

THE END!

Dear readers: okay this was a short and sweet story but there is lots more where Ruth is concerned. You will see her again!